Elaine C. Duke is the Principal of Elaine Duke & Associates, LLC. She provides acquisition and business consulting services to a wide variety of clients. She specializes in assisting companies in doing business with the Federal government.

Ms. Duke had a 28 year career with the Federal government, culminating with her Senate confirmation on June 27, 2008 as the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Under Secretary for Management. She held this position until April 1, 2010. As the Under Secretary, she was responsible for the management of the Department’s $47 billion budget. She was the Department’s Chief Acquisition Officer and led DHS’ $17 billion acquisition program. She provided executive leadership to the DHS Chief Information Officer, with responsibility for the Department’s enterprise architecture through strategic use of information technology and communications systems. Ms. Duke led the personnel policies and practices for DHS’ 230,000 employees through the Chief Human Capital Officer. Additionally, she provided oversight of the Department’s facilities, real property, personal property, and environmental programs.

Prior to her appointment as Under Secretary, Ms. Duke served as Deputy Under Secretary for Management. She was the Department’s Chief Procurement Officer from January 2006 until her appointment as Deputy Under Secretary in October 2007. As the agency’s senior procurement executive, she was responsible for the management, administration and oversight of the Department’s acquisition,

financial assistance, strategic and competitive sourcing programs. Ms. Duke was the Department’s Deputy Chief Procurement Officer from October 2004 through December 2005. During this time, she championed the creation of the Acquisition Professional Career Program to rebuild the acquisition workforce for the 21st century.

Ms. Duke assisted in the stand-up of the DHS while at the Transportation Security Administration, where she served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Acquisition beginning in August 2002. While at TSA, she delivered an acquisition program that met the post 9/11 legislative mandate to federalize passenger and baggage screening at US airports.

Ms. Duke spent a great deal of her career with the US Navy where she held various acquisition positions of progressive responsibility. She served as the Director, Office of Contract Policy as well as Deputy Director of the Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Contracts Division of the Naval Sea Systems Command. While on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment), Ms. Duke worked with local governments affected by the Base Closure and Realignment program, developing contract and financial assistance programs to revitalize local communities impacted by base closures. Ms. Duke also held various acquisition positions with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command including Deputy Director of the Contracting Department at the Navy Public Works Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

She began her federal career as a contracting officer with the US Air Force. In addition to her work with the Department of Defense, Ms. Duke served as the Deputy Director of Contracting and Property Management at the Smithsonian Institution and Director of Acquisition and Grant Services for the Federal Railroad Administration.

Ms. Duke holds a BS degree in Business Management and a MBA. During her service with the Federal Government, Ms. Duke received the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, the DHS Secretary’s Medal, the Transportation Security Administration Silver Medal for Customer Service, the Department of the Army Commander’s Award for Public Service, and the US Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public Service Medal.